Folding candle-lamp.



J. W. ELLIS. FOLDING CANDLE LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1910.-

983,987. Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. ELLIS, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO L. H. NELSON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FOLDING CANDLE-LAMP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I JOHN W. ELLIS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Portland, county of Cumberland, in the State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Candle- Lamps, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to folding candle outfits and particularly to a folding support and shade although involving principles adapted to use in other devices for illumination. In the manufacture of devices of this nature it is desirable that they be capable of collapse into a form which will occupy but little space for the purposes of packin storage and shipment, but that when set up they shall have astability suitable for safe usage.

It is the object of my present invention to provide for these various features and in the specification which follows I shall set forth at length the principles of structure by which they may be secured. By way of illustration, I shall make particular reference to a candle-holder and shade outfit, the same being shown in the drawings which form a part of this specification.

Throughout specification and drawings like reference numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts, and in the drawings:Figure 1 is a central sectional view of the holder and shade assembled for use. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the holder or base, Fig. 8 is a view of the shade member collapsed, Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the holder or base in collapsed condition. Fig. 5 is a side view of the base member collapsed, Fig. 6 is a plan of the inner side of the support, and Fig. 7 is an edge view of the same.

The base member 1 is composed of a plurality of sections hinged edge to edge for lateral collapse. I have shown a four sided base in which each section is shown as an isosceles trapezoid flexibly hinged along the lines of their adjacent legs, the end sections being joined by a tab 2 to flexibly complete the band. The base 1 is held in distended position as shown in Fig. 1, by a vertically collapsible plug which consists of a top piece 3 and a bottom piece 4 fastened thereto by flexibly hinged pieces 4 The top piece 3 is perforated as indicated at 5 and the bottom piece 4 is similarly pierced as at 6 for Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. September 3, 1910.

the passage of the pin 7 of a candle holder of which the cup is designated as 8 and the candle socket as 9. The candle supported in the socket 9 is shown at 10.

The top or shade member 11 is, similarly to the base, composed of four isosceles trapezoids flexible hinged, leg to leg, for lateral collapse, the tab 12 closing the ends to complete the band. The shade 11 has fastened to the central point of each edge by rivets 14 a support formed of two strips 13 and 153 preferably glued together. The strip 13 is cut through near its upper end by a V- shaped kerf 13 thus permitting the strip 13 to have a limited bond so that the supports may be sprung in, as shown in Fig. 1. This allows their lower endswhich are shouldered as at 13 to be locked in slots 15 near the top of each one of the side members of the base 1.

To assemble the device with the parts collapsed as shown in Figs. 3, 1 and 5, the base 1 is first expanded until the tops of its sides assume the position of the sides of a square. The bottom 4 is then swung down until the hole 6 is directly below the hole 5. The pin of the candle holder is then run through both holes to keep the top and bottom separated. The plug is now inserted in the top opening of'the base 1 as shown in Fig. 1 thus securing it against collapse. The shade 11 is now expanded and the lower end 13 of each support 13 is thrust through a slot 15, thus holding the shade 11 in proper position above the base 1 and also keeping it distended. The candle 10 may now be inserted and lighted without the danger of a collapse. The structure may be taken apart and collapsed into its original state by reversing the setting up steps before described.

Various modifications in the form and arrangements of the parts, the number of sides, etc., and the design or pattern of the ornamentation, may obviously be varied, all with out departing from the spirit of my invention if within the limits of the appended claims.

What I, therefore, claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the class described, comprising a plurality of side members hinged together for lateral collapse and vertically collapsible plug for holding said side meml hers distended comprising a top piece and a bottom piece collapsibly hinged thereto and means for holding said top and bottom pieces against collapse.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a plurality of side members hinged together for lateral collapse and a vertically collapsible plug for holding said side members distended comprising an overhanging top piece and a bottom piece collapsibly hinged thereto, said top and bottom pieces each having a perforation and a pin candle holder having a pin adapted to be inserted therethrough.

3. In a device of the class described, a base having a plurality of slot-ted sides, a shade, and a plurality of supports hinged thereto, the ends of said supports being adapted to find bearing in said slots.

4. In a device of the class described, a base having a plurality of slotted sides, a

. shade, and a plurality of support-s hinged thereto, the ends of said supports being adapted to find bearings in said slots and each support comprising an inner layer having a V-shaped kerf across it and a flexible outer layer attached thereto.

5. In a device of the class described, a base comprising a plurality of side members hinged together for lateral collapse and a vertically collapsible plug comprising an overhanging top piece and a bottom piece hinged thereto at its ends, said top and bottom piece each being perforated, a candle holder having a pin adapted to pass through both of said openings to support the holder and prevent the collapse of the said plug, said side members being slotted, a shade comprising a plurality of side members hinged together for lateral collapse and a plurality of supports on said shade and having their free ends adapted to be inserted in said slots in the sides of the base substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a folding candle lamp, a base comprising a plurality of side members, each having the form of an isosceles trapezoid hinged together for lateral collapse and a forming piece adapted to fit Within the opening formed between the shorter sides of said members When in distended position, piece having an overhanging edge ada 'ated to find bearing upon the upper edges of said sides.

7. In a folding candle lamp, a. folding base member and a folding shade member, one of said members being slotted and a plurality of supports on the other member adapted to find bearing in said slots.

8. In a folding outfit of the class described, a collapsible base composed of a plurality of members flexibly hinged together along their sides for lateral collapse; and a collapsible shade also composed of a plurality of members flexibly hinged together along their sides for lateral collapse, a plurality of supports, means for mounting said supports on one member and means for mounting said other member on said supports.

9. In a folding candle lamp, a supporting base comprising a plurality of side members hinged together for lateral collapse, a folding shade comprising a plurality of members hinged together for lateral collapse, means for supporting a source of light upon the top of said base and means for supporting said shade on said base and above said source of light, and accessibly exposing the same.

10. In a folding candle lamp, a folding shade comprising a plurality of side members hinged together for lateral collapse, a folding supporting base also comprising a plurality of side members hinged together for lateral collapse, said base and said shade having certain of said sides parallel and a plurality of supports operatively associated with the parallel sides of said baseand said shade for stably mounting said shade above said base and holding said shade and said base against collapse.

11. In a folding candle lamp, a supporting base comprising a plurality of members hinged together for lateral collapse, a source of light accessibly exposed above said base, a folding shade also comprising a plurality of members hinged together for lateral collapse and means for supporting said shade above said base and for holding said shade and said base against collapse.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN IV. ELLIS. Witnesses:

LYMAN I-I. NELSON, ELIZABETH M. WEBBER. 

